It’s official: Disney’s Cruella is, indeed, getting a sequel.
After enjoying global box-office success with its opening week, Disney is in the early development stage for a follow-up to the origin story of the 101 Dalmatians villain.
Cruella director — Australian filmmaker Craig Gillespie — and screenwriter Tony McNamara are expected to return for the next instalment but it has not yet been confirmed if Emma Stone, who plays the eponymous character, will also be making a comeback.
Cruella, which explores the characters roots in the 1970s punk fashion scene in London, has earned USD $48.5 million globally and scored high praise from critics and moviegoers — so it doesn’t come as a surprise that Disney wants to take the franchise further.
A mid-credits scene in the film also hinted at a future film, with the Baroness’s former lawyer Roger (Kayvan Novak) receiving a surprise delivery of one Dalmatian pup, along with a note that reads: “Meet Pongo! Enjoy, Cruella.”
Meanwhile, Cruella’s childhood-friend-turned-journalist, Anita (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), also receives a cute pooch on her doorstep with a note that reads: “Meet Perdita! See you soon, Cruella.”
The scene would suggest that it was Cruella all along who gave her rivals their beloved dogs, who enabled Anita and Roger to meet and fall in love in the original animated film and who, of course, become parents to the 101 Dalmations Cruella wants to desperately to turn into a vest. One can only assume, also, that Pongo and Perdita were the offspring of the Dalmatians that Cruella stole from Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson) to exact revenge for killing her mother.
In a statement, a Disney spokesperson said, “We are very pleased with Cruella’s box office success, in conjunction with its strong Disney+ Premier Access performance to date.
“The film has been incredibly well received by audiences around the world, with a 97% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to A’s in every demographic from CinemaScore on opening weekend, ranking it among the most popular of our live-action reimaginings. We look forward to a long run as audiences continue to enjoy this fantastic film.”
In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, the idea was floated to Stone and Thompson that the duo that they embark on Godfather II-style sequel with Glenn Close — who portrayed the villain in the 1996’s 101 Dalmations and its 2000 follow up — something both actresses vehemently agreed that they would love to do.
For her part, Close has previously expressed an interest in revisiting the role in a third live-action film with the actress telling Variety, “I have a great story to make another Cruella with my Cruella. Cruella comes to New York and disappears down the sewers.”
Cruella starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong is now showing in Hoyts cinemas. Check session times, here.
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